Centrifugal casting-machine.



5. FRANK.

fCENTRIFUBIAL CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION msn Dac. xa. lsu.

1,283,139. Patented om. 29, uns.

i-115 F111 nmg'ya.

f UNTTED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY S. FRANK, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO INLAND MACHINE WORKS, 01'I BT. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

CENTBIFUGAL CASTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY S. FRANK, a citizen of the United States, residing at the cityw of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have Y invented aynew and useful Centrifu al Casting-Machine, of which the followlng is a specification.

This invention relates to centrifugal casting machines.

An object ofthe invention is to provide an improved centrifugal casting machine comprising a. rotatable cylinder adapted to receive the molten metal while being driven at a high rate of speed, in combination with a delivery or supply trough movable into the cylinder while the latter is in operation and adapted to be turned or tilted to position to pour the molten metal into the rotatable cylinder to make even distribution of the metal therein from end to end of the cylinder, so that very slight flow of the metal 1s required in order to produce the casting of approximately uniform thickness and density throughout.

Another object of the invention is to pro# vide a device constructed and oplerating in the manner mentioned in which t e cylinder is provided with internal channels or grooves adapted to receive the molten metal and to form a plurality of cast rings at each operation.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a centrifugal casting machine for the manufacture of ring blanks adapted for use, when finished, as iston rings'and comprising a rotatable cy inder having a plurality of internal channels or grooves adapted to receive the molten metal while the cylinder is in rotation and rovided with connecting gates or passagest roughwhichmthe molten metal mayflow to effect even distribution thereof throughout, so that all of the rings will be of uniform size and density, and when cut or split and finished will constitute piston rings adapted to be used upon engine pistons.

Other objects-Will appear froxthe'following description, reference being made to the drawing, 1n which I have illustrated the essential features of the invention, andl in which- Figure 1-is a plan view of the machine.

Flg. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view-of the machine constructed for casting a cylinder having its wall in uniform thickness and provlded with a flange at one end.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a similar machine in which the cylinder is formed with a series of internal grooves or channels for casting ringsf Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the casting machine, the supply trough being in section along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

t Fig. 6 is a view, part in elevation and part 1n section of the casting produced by the machine illustrated in Fig. 3, in which the casting is composed of a series of rings integrally connected by the metal enterin the passages or gates between the channe s or grooves in the cylinder. A

The machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is supported upon the base 1. In this form of the invention there are two frames or standards 2 secured to the base and provided with bearings in whichY the rotatable cylinder is supported. The bearings are surrounded preferably by passages 3 through which cool currents of water or air may be circulated from the supply pipes 4.

The cylinder is composed of two separate sections having their edges matching and abutting closely together in order to form perfect and unbroken joints so that there will beno imperfection in or upon the casting produced by operation of the machine. The section 5, for convenience, ma be termed the lower section, and the section 6 may be termed the upper section. As apparent by reference to the drawings, when these two sections are placed together they form a perfect cylinder. The two sections are of equal len h and on their ends have annular flanges which encircle the shoulders 8 on the journal supporting members. Each journal supporting member is composed of a tubular 'axial portion 9 and a circumferential flange 10, the shoulders 8 being formed on the flanges 10. The lovver section 5 of the cylinder is rigidly secured in connection with the journal supporting members by screw bolts 11 passing through the flanges 10 and engaging the section 5. The section 6 is removably supported between the journal supporting members and is retained 1n connection with the section 5 by a clamp specially provided for that purpose.

The clamp is composed of two arcuate members, one of which is ermanently attached to the section 5 an ivotally su ports the other member. As i lustrated, t e member 12 of the clamp is held in connection with the lower section 5 by screw bolts 13 passing through the member 12 and entering extended portions 14 on said section 5. The upper member 15 of the clamp 1s connected to the lower member at one end by a pivot 16 and is arranged to extend over the upper section G of the cylinder. The opposite end of the clamp member 15 is formed with a bifurcation 17 adapted to receive the reduced portion 18 on the end of the niember 12. The bifurcation 17 and the reduced portion 18 are formed with registering holes adapted to receive the locking pin 19 of the clamp so that when the c. linder is closed and the clamp is placed a out the same, the locking pin 19 may be driven in and the parts held rigidly together so that they will not Work loose during the rapid operation of the machine. For pressing the two sections of the cylinder togetheiythe member 15 of the clamp supports a pressure device composed of a screw 20 and a handle 21 by which the screw may be operated to ress a ainst a boss formed on the section 6 ci) the cy inder in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The journal members 9 are mounted in bushings 22 located in the bearings in the supporting frames and one of the journal members supports a pulley 23 adapted to be driven by abelt 24, or other appropriate driving connection.

The temperature of the cylinder may be reduced by streams of cold water delivered thereto from supply pipes 25 having delivery faucets 26 arranged to discharge the Water upon the c linder as it is in rotation, and provided with valves 27 whereby the flow of the water may be controlled.

The cylinder formed by the matching sections 5 and 6 has an internal diameter 1n excess of the openings at lthe ends of the cylinder, there being internal flanges 28 which conline the molten metal Within the cylinder'. In the form illustrated in Fig. 2, the interior of the cylinder thus constructed is provided with an internal channel or groove 29 at one end so that the cylindrical casting produced will be .provided with a circumferential ange at that end.

The molten metal is sup lied to the cylinder by a delivery or sup y device comprising a trou h 30 mountedp on a movable suport 31. he support 31 is mounted -in a rame or bearing 32 in alinement with the cylinder so that by moving the support 31 toward the cylinder the trough 30 Will be moved into the cylinder in position to be turned or tilted to discharge the molten metal. Movement of the support 31 is limited by an abutment 33 secured thereto and arranged to contact with the frame at the time the trough 30 is in position to discharge the molten metal throughout the length of the cylinder. Thus no attention is required for the accurate movement of the trough into the cylinder, since the trough will be stoppedV in accurate position at each movement. A handle 3l secured to the abutment 33 constitutes means for manipulating the support 31. and thereby the trough 3() into and out of the cylinder. A Weight 35 also supported by the abutment 33 constitutes an actuator for automatically turning the trough 30 to its proper position for receiving the molten metal after each operation, and said actuator is also effective to prevent undesired tilting or turning of the trough.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is the same as that described above. with the exception of the internal construction of the cylinder. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 the interior of the cylinder is formedwith a plurality of grooves or channels 3G so that when thc molten metal is poured into the rotating cylindcr it will enter said grooves or lchannels and forni a series of rings. This embodiment of the invention is specially adapted for use `in the manufacture of ring blanks from which iston rings are made. After the ring blan (s have been formed in the machine it is only necessary to cut -or split them i and face them off to proper finish and they are then ready for use.

In order to facilitate or assure the even and uniform distribution of the metal into and through all of 4the rooves or channels 36 there may be provide a series of notches or passages 37 connecting the various grooves to permit flow of the metal throughout. The molten metal will thusent-er all of the rooves or channels and also the passages 3 so that when the metal hardens into a casting the rings are inte rally united by that portion of t e metal w ich has entered thegates or passages 37. These small oonnections may be readily cut and the rings 'faced of to proper size.

It is ap arent that there maybe various other m ifcations in the construction of the machine without departure from any of the principles herein disclosed. I do not restrict myself to specific features of conmeans for-delivering the molten metal into insana.

struction and arrangement, but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ist- 1. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotatable mold composed of two matching abutting sections, a clamping member pivotally supported by one of said sections for holding the two sections together, means .for holding the clamp' member in clamping position, said means eing releasable to permit release of the clamping member and separation of said sections, a pressure device carried by said clamping member for pressing one of the mold sections agalnst the other, bearings supporting the mold, and a supply trough movable into and out of the mold.

2. In a cmtrifugal casting machine, a mold comprising two separable sections, journal members permanently attached to one of said sections, bearings in which said journal members are mounted, a clamping member carried by the mold section which is in permanent connection with the journal members, another clamping member pivoted thereto and adjustable in position to clamp the other mold section in operative position, means for securing said clamping members together, means for rotating the mold, and

the mold. Y

3. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotatable mold composed of two matching abutting sections, journal members in permanent connection with one of said sections and the other section being se arable therefrom, a

clamp member pivota y supported by the mold section which is in permanent connection with the journal members, means for securing the clamp member in position to retain the separable mold section in position, and an auxiliary clamp coperating with said clamp member for pressing the separable mold section into contact with the other mold section. Y

4. In a centrifugal casting machine, a rotatable mold comprising a mold section revolubl supported, a clamp member carried there y, a separate mold section adapted to coperate with'the other onef to form a complete mold, for fastening the clamp member in adjustment to retain the separate a clamp member supported by the firstnamed mold section, and a device coperating with said clamp member for pressing the separate mold section into -positionV 'i'.` A centrifugal casting machine, com-I prising 'a rotatable mold,V a trough movable to and from osition to deliver molten metal into said mo d, a support for said trough, an actuator for moving Said trough into the mold and for tilting the trough to pour the molten metal therein into the mold, anda device separate from said actuator 'for turn# ing the trough to position to receive molten metal afteroperatlon by said actuator.

8. A centrifugal casting machine, comprising a rotatable mold composed of two separable sections having grooves or channels in their inner surfaces arranged to receive the molten metal and form rings, a clamp member carried by one of said sections for holding the other section in en-l gagement therewith, and a device coperating with said clamp member for pressing one of said mold sections toward the other.

' 9. A centrifugal casting machine for casting rings, comprising a rotatable mold composed of two separable mold sections whose combined interior is cylindrical, and the interior surface of the mold formed by said two sections having a number of peripheral grooves therein, said grooves extending unrokenly entirely 'around the inner periph- .ery of the mold and being arranged to receive molten metal and form separate unbroken rings thereof, means for holding said mold sections together, means for rotating the mold, and means for delivering molten metal into the mold.

v10. A machine for casting rings by centrifugal action, comprising a mold composed of two separable sections fitted together, said mold having separate peripheral grooves in its inner surface, said grooves extending unbrokenly entirely around the inner peripheryr of the mold and being adapted to recelve the molten metal, passages connecting' said grooves, devices for holding said sections together, means for rotating the mold, and means for delivering molten metal into the mold. `f

11. machine for casting rings by centrifugal action, comprising a mold composed of separable sections in cylindrical form, said mold having a plurality of separate grooves in its inner periphery, said grooves extending unbrokenly entirely around the inner periphery of the mold and being adapted to receive the molten metal, passages connecting said grooves whereby the metal may How from veuch groove into another thereof, means for pressing said se arable sections together to form the comp ete cylindrical mold, means for rotating the mold, and means for delivering the molten metal into ,the mold.

HARRY S. FRANK. 

